May 2020: Digitally delivered peer support

A message from Thomas Lane, NCPS, CRPS, senior director, community and recovery supports

Welcome to Magellan’s May 2020 edition of eMpowered for Wellness. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and social distancing becomes the new normal, we have seen rapid expansion of digitally delivered peer and family support. This month, our feature article explores emerging issues and considerations for using technology to reach others.

The use of technology to offer peer support is a practice that has been around for quite a while. Think about telephonic peer support via peer-operated warmlines. A USA Today article from December 4, 2019 said this about warmlines:

“Unlike a hotline for those in immediate crisis, warmlines provide early intervention with emotional support that can prevent a crisis.”

There are several different warmline models ranging from those carried out by grassroots organizations and operated by volunteers with limited hours, to those by larger peer-run agencies providing 24/7 access to peers with specialized training in telephonic engagement and support.

Almost all peer-operated warmlines are free for callers. Some offer outbound “check in” calls for people who request them; another example of peers filling the gaps in access to effective mental health and substance use disorder services.

Magellan has long been a supporter of peer-operated warmlines and has helped launch warmlines in multiple states.

You can find more information about warmline availability by state at www.warmline.org or by visiting the National Empowerment Center’s directory of peer-run warmlines.

As opportunities for in-person, face-to-face support have decreased, many peer-run organizations, along with traditional mental health providers, have shifted delivery of services to telehealth platforms. Yet, during this unprecedented COVID-19 public health crisis, we see increased demand for support from folks living with anxiety and depression. As more families are impacted by the pandemic, access to peer support is more critical than ever.

Peers have been quick to step up with a national grassroots-driven expansion of support via video conferencing platforms like Zoom. There are valuable lessons learned from the 12-step recovery community, which has been offering online meetings through resources like In The Rooms. With this rapid expansion, however, we see wide variability in practices. Skills learned by providing in-person peer support do not necessarily translate onto a digital delivery platform. Individuals who are used to seeing a peer supporter in person may have a different experience when it’s offered through technology. In some cases, apps that purport to offer peer support are actually “peer-bots,” with real-time interactions being driven by algorithms and predictive analytics. From my chair, this approach cannot compare to human interaction. We’re all having to adapt and pay close attention to what is happening in this space.

Fortunately, solutions to address the nuances of digital peer support have been developed. One of the most beneficial is training in digital peer support. Magellan partnered with Dr. Karen Fortuna to provide specialized training to our team members who provide peer and family support. Many other organizations and agencies have completed this training as well. It’s an important and necessary step to take as we navigate this new normal.

If you want to learn more about the state of practice relevant to digitally delivered peer support, check out this article from the April 2020 Journal of Medical Internet Research by Dr. Fortuna, Digital Peer Support Mental Health Interventions for People With a Lived Experience of a Serious Mental Illness: Systematic Review.

In closing, I want to thank everyone working to ensure peer support is still available to folks in this time of uncertainty and great need. As we learn more about what works and what could be improved with peer support services via telehealth, we are paving new ground. What we do over the coming weeks and months will set the trajectory for digitally delivered peer support.  Let’s make sure we get to where we want to go safely, respectfully and responsibly.

We hope you enjoyed this feature article from the Magellan Healthcare eMpowered for Wellness May newsletter.

Access the full May newsletter

Magellan’s eMpowered for Wellness newsletter provides an in-depth look into the critical behavioral health and social issues individuals in our country are facing today. Information and valuable resources are included to help improve overall health through peer support, whole health and working toward wellness.